Environmental Consequences

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IMPACTS OF IMPLEMENTING ALTERNATIVE 2 – PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE

VISITOR USE

Diversity of Recreational Opportunity

Under alternative 2 there would be a focused range of visitor experiences emphasizing research, learning, and more in- depth experience of park resources. Visitors would have opportunities to participate in guided field trips, seminars, and workshops. This focused learning environment would enable park interpreters and partnering researchers to convey a broader range of information and involve park visitors in hands- on learning experiences about both natural and cultural park resources. In frontcountry areas at Munson Valley, Rim Village, and along Rim Drive, there would be expanded opportunities to experience the rustic designed architecture of park buildings and roads in their cultural settings.

Existing recreational opportunities would remain, including scenic driving, frontcountry and backcountry hiking, picnicking, stock use, and nature viewing. Winter activities, including snowcamping, cross- country skiing, and snowshoeing would continue as would snowmobile access along the North Entrance Road to North Junction. Use of snowcoach access would be encouraged on the North Entrance Road. Greater diversity of visitor use along Rim Drive would be provided by seasonal closures of sections of East Rim Drive during the autumn shoulder season, allowing visitors an opportunity to experience the primary resource of the park in ways other than driving, as new (nonmotorized) uses would be encouraged in areas that have space to accommodate them. Nonmotorized recreational opportunities would be available along Grayback Drive.

Because there would be an addition in recreational opportunities (seasonal nonmotorized use along Rim Drive) and an expansion of existing educational / interpretive programs (in- depth, focused educational field trips and seminars), the change in the diversity of visitor experience would be noticeable, beneficial, and would affect relatively large numbers of visitors, resulting in a moderate beneficial impact on the diversity of visitor opportunity.

Visitor Access and Circulation

Under alternative 2 the road system would continue to be accessible during peak visitor use times in the summer months. Traffic congestion, especially along Rim Drive during the summer season, would be managed by improving existing pullouts, parking areas, and overlooks. If warranted by future crowding, shuttles and other alternative transportation systems would be used to alleviate congestion along Rim Drive between Cleetwood Cove and Rim Village. A feasibility analysis would determine whether the shuttle would be a concession, Park Service operated, or a service contract. There would be some change to motor vehicle accessibility to portions of East Rim Drive during the shoulder autumn season when portions of East Rim Drive would be closed to motorized traffic on an experimental basis resulting in reduced motorized access. Grayback Drive would be closed to motorized traffic throughout the year. Private vehicle access to the rim in the winter would continue. Snowmobile access and permits for snowcoach tours would continue on the North Entrance Road to North Junction. Because there would be no noticeable change in the way visitors experience the park in the winter, there would be negligible impacts to visitor accessibility to park resources during the winter season. Overall, changes in motorized accessibility in the park would be detectable, localized in area, and of short duration affecting a relatively small number of visitors resulting in minor, long- term, adverse impacts to motorized accessibility.

New trails would be developed in localized frontcountry areas along the park’s road system. There would be new hiking and biking opportunities along East Rim Drive during the autumn. Improvements to existing front country hiking trails and development of new front country trails would result in greater trail accessibility. Visitor surveys indicate that short trails are extremely important to a majority of visitors. Expansion of frontcountry trails, the addition of seasonal nonmotorized hiking and biking opportunities along East Rim Drive, and the addition of year- round hiking and/or skiing, snowshoeing, and biking opportunities along Grayback Drive would be readily apparent. Ninetythree percent of visitors responding to the 2001 Visitor Survey indicated that short, frontcountry trails were either very important or extremely important. Because front country trail access would be expanded and new front country nonmotorized trail opportunities would be added an exceptionally beneficial impact on trail accessibility would normally be expected, however because visitation to the park during the fall shoulder season is considerably reduced from peak use these additions and expansions of nonmotorized trail opportunities would affect a relatively small number of visitors resulting in minor to moderate, long- term, beneficial impacts on trail accessibility.

Education and Orientation

Under alternative 2 existing passive interpretive opportunities would continue and interpretive programs and educational services would increase in number and in depth of information. Opportunities to participate in educational programs would increase with the development of a science and learning center at Munson Valley. Partnerships with universities, museums, other agencies, and researchers would expand the breadth and depth of knowledge of park resources and enrich interpretive programs. Visitors would have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of educational programs such as focused guided field trips, workshops, and seminars. Interpretation of park resources would be provided by researchers guiding special in- depth tours, participatory field trips, and seminars. Park interpreters would provide research- based programs. Guided hikes and interpretation on concession- operated boat tours would focus on participatory, learning experiences for visitors. New and expanding sources of information about park resources would be available to park visitors and would be conveyed in a broader context as technology advanced and new educational venues developed. Because the variety and range of interpretive programs would increase and expand, the change to visitor opportunities to participate in educational and interpretive programs would be highly noticeable. These changes in the interpretive program would affect relatively large numbers of visitors, resulting in a major, long- term, beneficial impact on visitors’ opportunities to participate in interpretive programs.

Visitor Facilities and Services

Opportunities for visitors to access and use park facilities and services would increase. New and expanded uses of park facilities would open some park buildings and structures for visitor use and enjoyment. Visitors would gain new opportunities to experience East Rim Drive and its associated pullouts and overlooks without vehicular traffic during the fall. Grayback Drive would provide non- motorized opportunities yearround. Participation in workshops and seminars conducted in park buildings and other structures would expand and change visitor use of park facilities. These changes would be highly noticeable, a relatively large numbers of visitors would be affected, and the changes would be exceptionally beneficial. Therefore alternative 2 would have a major, beneficial, long- term impact on the visitor’s experience of park facilities and services.

Soundscapes and Scenic Quality

Development of frontcountry trails would occur in localized areas along the park’s transportation corridor resulting in detectable, localized, but small changes to the natural sound environment in these areas. This would result in negligible longterm, adverse impacts to soundscapes at park trailheads. Closing portions of East Rim Drive to vehicular traffic in the autumn shoulder season would enhance the natural soundscape along this portion of the lake caldera. This change would be detectable, although the change would affect a relatively small number of visitors and would be localized in area resulting in resulting in minor beneficial long- term impacts to soundscapes along East Rim Drive.

With the seasonal closure of East Rim Drive in the fall, visitor opportunities to sightsee in the park would experience a change during that season. Scenic views of the lake without the intrusion of vehicular traffic would be possible. During peak use periods in the summer opportunities for visitors to sightsee in the park, including motorized sightseeing along Rim Drive, would remain unchanged. There would be a noticeable change in visitor experience in viewing the lake in the autumn. This change would be highly noticeable, but would affect a relatively small number of visitors and be localized in area, resulting in a minor, beneficial impact on visitor opportunities to sightsee and enjoy the park’s scenic views.

Cumulative Impacts. Past and ongoing projects, including development of frontcountry trails, reconfiguration of Rim Village, and adaptive reuse of historic structures in Munson Valley and Rim Village, have had long- term, major, beneficial impacts on the visitor experience. Reconfiguration of Rim Village would change the way visitors access views of the lake at Rim Village. A walk along the promenade would be possible without having to compete with vehicular traffic. A year- round visitor contact station at the rim would enable winter views of the lake for people of all abilities. Overall these projects have the potential to increase the diversity, of visitor experience, enhance the range of interpretative programs, expand access to park facilities, and to improve the quality of visitor experience values such as sounds of nature and scenic views. The impacts of the above other actions, when combined with the impacts of the no- action alternative would result in a major, longterm, beneficial impact. Alternative 2 would contribute a minor to major, beneficial increment to cumulative impacts to the visitor experience, because alternative 2 would add new and expanding existing visitor opportunities. Alternative 2 would also contribute minor, longterm adverse increment to cumulative impacts due to the seasonal closure of East Rim Drive.

Conclusion. Alternative 2 would have a major beneficial impact on the diversity of visitor experience. Under this alternative visitors would experience minor, longterm, adverse impacts on vehicular access with the seasonal closure of East Rim Drive but would gain minor to moderate, long- term, beneficial impacts on frontcountry trails accessibility. There would be major beneficial impacts to visitor enjoyment of educational and interpretive programs and access to park facilities and services. Opportunities for visitors to enjoy scenic views would be expanded along the caldera rim resulting in minor beneficial impacts to scenic viewing opportunities. The cumulative actions in conjunction with the no- action alternative would result in an overall major, long- term, beneficial impact. Alternative 2 would contribute a minor to major beneficial increment to cumulative impacts to the visitor experience, because this alternative would add new and expanding existing visitor opportunities. Alternative 2 would also contribute a minor, long- term, adverse increment to cumulative impacts due to the seasonal closure of East Rim Drive.